Author will share Maui Christmas stories
Wayne Moniz, winner of the Cades literary award, will share vignettes of Christmas on Maui with Maui businesspeople at the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce holiday meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu.
Moniz will also be reading excerpts from his latest book, "Beyond the Reef: Stories of Maui and World," and his other published works.
The meeting is open to the public and includes a buffet dinner for $20. For dinner reservations, call 874-2426.
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Baker to discuss upcoming legislation
State Sen. Roz Baker will be the guest speaker at the noon lunch meeting of the Kihei-Wailea Rotary Club on Wednesday at Mulligans on the Blue restaurant in Wailea.
Baker will discuss the upcoming legislative session and explain how citizens can use the Capitol website to participate in the legislative process.
Baker was recently re-elected to the state Senate 6th District, representing South and West Maui. She has represented the citizens of Maui for nearly 20 years in a variety of leadership positions including current chairwoman of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.
Lunch is $16. The public is welcome. For more information, see www.mauirotary.org or call 344-9989.
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School lunch program topic of free talk
"There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch" is the title of a presentation that will be given by John Cadman at 7 p.m. Thursday in Room 102 of the Kaunoa Senior Center in Paia.
Cadman will shed light on the "true costs" of the national school lunch program and the challenges in trying to feed 30 million school children each school day.
Cadman is the food service director for Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus. He served for 15 years as a food service manager in both elementary and high school settings.
Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii at 572-8371 or teveblake@hawaiiantel.net.
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Waikapu Community Association to meet
The Waikapu Community Association will hold a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the Waikapu Community Center. The meeting agenda includes the annual election for new members of the association's Board of Directors. The president will present the annual report on the association's activities in the past year.
The meeting will conclude with a celebration of the holiday season offering desserts and beverages. Community members friends, and family are invited to participate.
For more information, email the Waikapu Community Association at waikapuca@hawaii.rr.com
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School supports Maui Food Bank drive
Students, teachers and staff of Iao Intermediate School will help support the Maui Food Bank Monday to Friday by collecting packaged and unopened nonperishable food items. Specific items that have been requested are canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats and tuna, canned soups with protein, cereal, rice and pasta. Bins for collecions will be placed in the school's main office.
Monetary donations also will be accepted. Checks may be made payable to Maui Food Bank with a memo that the donation is for the Iao School Maui Food Bank Drive. Checks can be dropped off at the front office in care of PCNC parent facilitator Lorene Rodrigues.
In addition, to reach the school's goal of 1,000 pounds or more, there will be a staff versus students challenge.
For more information, contact Rodrigues at 984-5610, ext. 241, or email lorene_rodrigues@notes.k12.hi.us.
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Concert to feature gathering of voices
The combined choirs of Maria Lanakila and Sacred Hearts Mission Catholic churches will present their annual Christmas in Lahaina concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 at Maria Lanakila. The concert is free, although "goodwill offerings" will be accepted.
The program will include Christmas carols by the Filipino and Hispanic choirs, a performance by the Hawaiian choir and singing by the children of Sacred Hearts School Honors choir, as well as Maria Lanakila's youth choir. The Tongan choir will perform Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus."
There will be refreshments and a surprise ending to the eclectic gathering of voices, according to a news release. Maria Lanakila Catholic Church is at the corner of Dickenson and Wainee streets.
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Civic engagement group plans meeting
An informational session for the AIM for Youth Project will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday at 1791 Wili Pa Loop in Wailuku.
The purpose is to form an advisory council to encourage young people's involvement in the political process.
AIM For Youth is a collaboration of five partners: the Pacific American Foundation, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Asian American Pacific Islander Health Forum and the Kellogg Foundation.
For information, call Richard Medeiros at 255-7858 or email richmedeiros@gmail.com.
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BHS class of '61 plans reunion
The Baldwin High School Class of 1961 will hold a 70th Birthday Bash in Las Vegas March 11 to 14.
Events will include group travel from Honolulu on March 10, a March 11 morning slot tournament at Main Street Casino, March 12 morning golf and Talk Story Night at Hennessey's Tavern and March 13 morning Hoover Dam tour and banquet and group photo at the California Hotel Ohana Room.
For more information, call 244-9693 or email bhs1961@hotmail.com.
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Community choir to sing at Iao Theater
The Hawaiian community choir Na Leo Lani O Maui has scheduled two performances of its fourth annual holiday concert "The Bells Ring Out" at Iao Theater in Wailuku.
One performance will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by a matinee performance at 3 p.m. Dec. 16. Doors open 45 minutes before each performance.
The choir includes 80 members, under the direction of Gale Wisehart and Uluwehi Guerrero.
Assigned-seating tickets are $20, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the St. Anthony Junior Senior High School symphonic band, which is fundraising to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City early next year.
Tickets are available by calling Richard Castro at 281-6547.
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BHS of class of '83 sets 30th reunion
The Baldwin High School Class of 1983 organizers are announcing their 30-year class reunion for Aug. 30-31 (Labor Day weekend) in Las Vegas.
The reunion night dinner will be on Aug. 31 at Makino Sushi and Seafood buffet with a casual night on Aug. 30 and other activities being planned. For more information or to be on the committee, contact Todd Hayase at 385-5154 or Malorie Arisumi at bhsco83@aol.com.
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Rotary Clubs help Maui Food Bank
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving, members and friends of the Rotary clubs of Maui worked doors at Maui businesses to participate in "Rotary Gives Thanks" food drives for the Maui Food Bank.
Nine Valley Island Rotary Clubs collected 6,830 pounds of food and $7,168.
"Because of folks like the Rotary clubs who share our vision, we are able to make sure that no one in our island ohana goes to bed hungry," said Marlene Rice, director of development for the Maui Food Bank.
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Bank assists Maui housing nonprofits
HomeStreet Bank, a subsidiary of HomeStreet Inc., has contributed $10,000 in recent weeks to two nonprofit agencies that meet housing needs in Hawaii.
Na Hale O Maui and the Habitat for Humanity Maui affiliate each received contributions from HomeStreet Bank.
"HomeStreet employees are actively involved in Hawaii communities in a variety of ways, including through this recent charitable support," said Faith Armenini, assistant vice president and branch manager of HomeStreet's Kahului team.
HomeStreet's recent contributions on Maui include:
* A $5,000 contribution to Na Hale O Maui to support homebuyer education classes for first-time homebuyers.
* A $5,000 contribution to Habitat for Humanity to support the building of affordable homes for low-income families on Maui.
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Sugar museum seeks volunteers
The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum is looking for help with its gift shop, docent-led tours, general cleaning and maintenance. For more information, call Holly Buland at 871-8058 or email her at sugarmus@maui.net. The museum's website can be found at www.sugarmuseum.com.
